Dropper



Aug. 18, 1925.

M. COMBS Patented ug. 18, 1925.

i UNITED STATES MASON COMBES, OF PINEVILLE, KENTUCKY.

DROPPER.

Application led July 23,

To all whom t may concer/rt.'

`Be it known that I, MASON Contes, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at" Pineville, in the county of VBell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Droppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to closures for containers and its object isto provide a olosure which will be especially adapted for cans containing anesthetics or V medical syrups and compounds, and by the use of which the contents of the containers will be kept in a sanitary condition, guarded against loss, and permitted to escape when desired in easily regulated quantities@ The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 with the cap removed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing an other embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlargedydetail perspective view of the plunger shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the plunger shown in Fig. 3.

That form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is intended more particularly for containers in which anesthetics are supplied, a portion of the b ody of the container being shown at 1. This body 1 is sealed after being filled, and the top 2 is provided centrally or at such other point as may be preferred with a neck 3 which is preferably formed integral with the top, and it will be readily noted upon reference to Fig. 1 that this neck is open at its outer end but is closed by the top of the container at its inner or lower end. A stopper 4, which is preferably of the construction disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,47 8,891, granted to me December 25, 1923, is fitted within the neck so that it will be retainedin and by the same and will seat upon the top 2. This stopper, as fully set forth in my said patent, consists of inner and outer sections which are pivotally connected by a rod or pin 5 eX- tending axially through the sections, and the sections are provided in their circum- 1924. Serial N0. 727,766.

ferential faces with longitudinal grooves 6 which are adapted to aline or be placed out of alinement by rotating the outer section relatively to the inner section. When the container is filled and ready for the cus-- tomer, the grooves of the stopper sections are 1n alinement and aplunger 7 is seated in the grooves at one side of the stopper. It will be noted, upon reference to Fig. 1, that the plunger fits snuuly within the groove vand between the body of the stopper and the neck, and the plunger is of such length that its upper end will project slightly above the top or outer end `of the stopper while its lower end will rest upon the top or head of the can or container. The lower end of the plunger is properly shaped or formed to provide a piercing point 8 and a stop shoulder 9 whereby upon the application of force to the plunger the point may be easily driven through the top of the can to puncture the same, and the extent of penetration will be limited by contact of the stop shoulder with the top of the can, as will be understood.V The neck 3 `is provided at its upper end externally with threads 10 and with an annular rib or flange 11 which constitutes a stop to limit the closing movement of a cap 12 which is engaged over the neck to house the stopper and the plunger, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The device is supplied with the parts arranged as sho-wn in Fig. 1, the cap serving to protect the stopper and the plunger from an accumulation of dust or from any contamination due to careless or unnecessary handling. The cap, when in place, also prevents access to the plunger so that the can cannot be prematurely punctured by accidental blows upon the plunger and, consequently, undesired escape and loss of the anesthetics is prevented. When the anesthetic is to be administered, the cap 12 is removed and a very light blow or pressure applied to the plunger so as to drive the point 8 into and through the top of the can and thereby form a perforation in the latter. The plunger is then` withdrawn so that the grooves in which it was seated will provide a clear channel for the escape of the anesthetic. The rapidity of escape may be regulated by turning the outer section of the stopper so thatthe groove 6 therein will be disposed more or less out of alinementwith the groove in the inner member of the stopper and, consequently, the channel provided by the grooves will be more or less restricted. After the anesthetic has served its purpose, the outer section of the stopper may be rotated so that the grooves will be entirely out of alinement and in such position the` outer stopper section will form a closureto block and prevent flow through .the grooves. The cap may then be returned to its positionupon the -neck and any unused portion of the anesthetic whichmay remain in the container will be saved. rThe construction and arrangement of parts of my improved closure minimizes the area of the corkexposed to c-ontact with the ether or other anesthetic and, consequently, deterioration of the anesthetic is minimized. It will be understood, of course, that the plunger, before being put aside, is operated through the grooves at both sides of the dropping stopper so that two perforations will beformed in the container top, that perforation which is in the lower position when the can is tipped serving as an outlet for the anesthetic, while the other perforation will serve as an inlet for air to prevent the formation of a vacuum in the container and, consequently, will insure a steady flow of the ether in such quantities as thev physician or anesthetist may deem proper.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an embodiment of the invention which is more particularly adapted for dispensing heavy syrups or other medical compounds which require larger openings or passages for their discharge from the container. In this form of the -invention, the container. 2() is provided with two necks 2l and 22 which are of different size but are identical in construction with the neck shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and heretofore described. A stopper 23 is: fitted in the neck. 2l and a. stopper 2st is fitted in the neck 22, these Stoppers beingv identical in construction but varying in size. The stoppers 23,24 are formed in two sections or members rotatably connected in the same manner. that. the stopper sections shown in Figs. l and 2 are connected, but instead of having grooves as shown in the first described form of theinvention-they are flattenedor cut-away longitudinally at one side so that a spaceis provided between the stopper. andthe neckin which it is fit-ted to receive. aA plunger 25. As shown clearly in Fig. 5, this plungeris provided with a flat face 26 adapted to seat against the fiatface of the stopper and has an arcuate face 27 which fits within and against the wall of the neck, the lower end .of Athe plunger being tapered, as shown at 28, whereby it may readily pierce the top of the container when force is applied to the plunger. To prevent the plungerbeing driven through the neck. to an unnecessary extent and being thereby rendered difiicult of withdrawal, a stop lip or shoulder 29 is formed at the upper end of the plunger upon the flat side of the same to project over the stopper and abut the upper end thereof when the plunger is depressed. Then the container is filled and supplied to a customer, each neck 2l or 22 is engaged by a cap 30 or 3l so that the parts will be protected and the plunger will beguarded against accidental blows and premature puncturing of the top of the container will be avoided.

The use and operation of this form of the invention is essentially the same as the operation of the first described form. When the contents of the container are to be withdrawn, the plunger-s are forced into the top of the container and then withdrawn so that openings or channels will be produced through which the liquid in the container may iow and air also be admitted to the container to prevent the formation of a vacuum and assure the proper steady flowing of the liquid. It willbe noted that the flatfaces of the Stoppers are disposed at relatively diametrically opposite points and it is intended when the contents of the container are being drawn that the container should be so disposed as to place the larger neck and stopper at the lower point while the smallerv neck and stopper will be at the higher point. By thus disposing the parts, -f

the channel furnished through the larger neck for the discharge of the liquid will be at the under side of the stopper while the channel forthe admission of air will be at the top 0f the upper smaller stopper. By rotating the outer sections of the Stoppers relative to the inner sections thereof, the effective cross sectional area of the channels may be varied and the rate of flow thus controlled. This last described form of the invention is particularly desirable for containers storing heavy syrups and oils or other medical compounds which are usually retailed in very small quantities, as the portions Ofthe liquids remaining in stock are eifectuallyprotected against deterioration and the containers easily kept in a santiary condition at all times;

It will be understood that'the. invention is not confined to the use of the particular stopper disclosed in my aforesaid Letters PatentY butV an ordinary cork stopper'may be fitted inthe neck after the plunger has been used, and the plunger may be retained inl the neck by any convenient preferred means.

Having thus described the invention, l claim:

l. Means for the purpose set forth comprising a container having a sealed top, a neck on the top of the container. normally closed by the said top, a stopper fitted in the neck and. constructed to permit and regulate the fiow from the container, means fitted between thestopper and the neck tc puncture the top of the container, and nieans lor normally preventing` iperation or the last-1mentionedmeans.

2. A. container having a normally scaled top, a neck on the top7 a dropping stoplur fitted snugly Within the necln a puncturing element fitted Within the neck and held by the stopper, and a cap fitted on the neck and .housing the puncturing elementanl the stopper. Y

23. A container having;l a normally sealed top, a neck upon the top, a stopper fitted in .the necki u puncturing element litted Within the neck at the Side of the stopper and normally resting on the top of the container,t11e puncturing element normally projecting beyond the end of the stopper and having its lower end constructed to penetrate the top of the container upon the application of force toi its projecting upper end, and means for limiting the puncturing movement of the said element.

A container having a normally sealed top, a neck on said top, a stopper litted Within the neck, a puncturing element tittecl Within the neck at the side of the stopper and normally hearing upon the top of the container with its outer end projecting beyond the outer end of the stopper, and a. cap removahly fitted upon the neck and housing the stopper and the puncturing element` the neck being,` provided with a stop to limit the movement of the cap whereby to prevent the application o'll pressure to the puncturing element.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

MASON COMES. [n S 

